Definitely, The Wright Stuff

Mountaineer back’s 5 TD extravaganza easily week’s top performance

Heritage junior Colton Wright takes the handoff from quarterback Dustin Richardson. Photo by Brandon Shinn

Well, this was easy.

Colton Wright uncorked a spectacular Friday night, rushing for better than 200 yards and five Heritage touchdowns as the Mountaineers beat back South-Doyle, 57-56, in overtime at Jack Renfro Stadium.

Wright’s yardage totals are unofficial. The Heritage coaching staff submits its official game statistics on Tuesday, and they’re worth the wait. Wright could very well have gone where no Mountaineer has gone before.

Wright, a junior and the Barley’s/Blount Press Row Player of the Week, opened the scoring on the game’s second play from scrimmage, bolting 62 yards off left guard for a 7-0 Heritage lead. A 4-yard run one possession later made it 13-0 Mountaineers after a missed point-after.

Little did we know …

By the end of the third, it was bedlam. The Cherokees had rallied to take a 35-31 lead entering the final frame. Heritage quarterback Dustin Richardson ensured the Mountaineers kept pace, running for one score, firing 42 yards to Reilly Hill for another.

Richardson would add a second scoring toss to J.P. Pearson late in the fourth. The fourth quarter belonged to Heritage’s unstoppable Mr. Wright, though. Here’s why.

On the first play of the fourth, Wright sprinted through the middle of the South-Doyle line to run 69 yards for his third touchdown, putting Heritage back out front, 37-35.

The Cherokees took a 49-37 lead with seven minutes remaining, thanks, in part, to a Heritage fumble on a kickoff.

Game over?

Please.

After Richardson trimmed the deficit 49-43 on the 10-yard pass to Pearson, Wright carried Heritage home, first on a 9-yard run to tie the score at 49-all with 59 seconds to play. The PAT failed, sending the game to overtime.

South-Doyle scored first to take a 56-49 lead. On the first play of the Mountaineer possession, Wright ran 10 yards to pull Heritage within a point. The Mountaineers went for two and the win on the conversion, Cameron Allison’s catch of a Richardson pass securing a big Region 2-5A victory.